4 April 2008
The Prime Minister has appointed Howard Covington, Professor Averil MacDonald, Dr Gill Samuels, Ms Janet Street Porter and Chris Swinson as Trustees of the National Museum of Science and Industry for a term of four years from 7 April 2008.
Biographies
Howard Covington started his career in the Treasury before becoming a general manager of the Barclays group in South Africa, responsible for developing the group’s strategy. In 1986 he joined UK investment bank SG Warburg, becoming a corporate finance director and advising companies on capital raising, acquisitions and disposals. He was recruited to head the European investment banking business of US boutique investment bank Wasserstein Perella in 1996. Over 5 years he built the bank into a significant competitor in the European mergers and acquisitions market. In 2000 he joined New Star Asset Management as a founder shareholder and director. He became Chief Executive in 2001. Mr Covington, who studied Physics and Mathematics at Cambridge, is a patron of the Science Museum’s Smith Centre and also supports the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences.
Professor Averil Macdonald is holder of the Chair of Science Communication at the University of Reading. She is internationally acknowledged for innovative science communication, for establishing dialogue with hard to reach audiences, and for introducing innovative teaching methodologies in science education at national level. She has an international reputation in research in Raman spectroscopy. In 2007 she was awarded the UK Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Science. Professor Macdonald is a member of the 2012 Olympic Games Steering Group on Diversity, a member of the Institute of Physics Diversity Committee and member of the Women in Physics Group. She has led applications for Public Engagement with Science grants amounting to over £300,000, co-authored 20 school texts, promoted science on several TV and radio programmes and contributed to the development of the National Curriculum for Science Scheme of Work for the QCA. Professor Macdonald has recently been invited to sit on the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Science in Society Advisory Panel.
Dr Gill Samuels CBE is a physiologist and neuropharmacologist. In 2005 she retired from the position of Executive Director of Science Policy and Scientific Affairs, Europe, at the Sandwich Laboratories of Pfizer Global Research and Development. Prior to that, she was Director of Cardiovascular Biology for Pfizer, contributing to the discovery of several new medicines, now marketed. She has served on two Government Commissions, Human Genetics and Intellectual Property Rights and is Chair of the Bioscience Futures Forum. In addition she chairs the Cheltenham Science Festival and the Science and Engineering Advisory Group of the British Council. She maintains a strong interest in the developing world and recently became Chair of the Council of Global Forum for Health Research. She received the CBE in 2002 for services to the Bioscience and Pharmaceutical industries.
Janet Street Porter was a Fleet Street columnist and fashion writer for the Daily Mail by the age of 21. Her career in broadcasting started in 1973 when she hosted a daily show on Britain’s first commercial radio station. As a producer, she won a BAFTA award for creating the Network Seven series for Channel Four using ground-breaking graphics and editing techniques. Janet joined the BBC in 1987 to head the new Youth and Entertainment department. She created a host of new formats for young people and was responsible for around 35 series. In 1994 she joined the Mirror Group and set up Live TV, building the UK’s first digital television studios. Since 1996 she has presented a wide range of television series on subjects ranging from the countryside and architecture to the environment and food industry. She regularly appears on political programmes and presents a regular slot on GMTV. She was Editor of the Independent on Sunday for 2 years, and is currently Editor at Large. She has conducted hundreds of interviews for Bloomberg Television, transmitted in over 20 countries. Janet Street Porter was formerly Chair of the Edinburgh Television Festival, and is currently Vice President of the Ramblers Association, a Fellow of the Royal Television Society and an Associate Fellow of The RIBA.
Chris Swinson started his career at PriceWaterhouse. He then spent nearly 15 years at BDO Binder Hamlyn, becoming National Managing Partner in 1981. He joined BDO Stay Hayward in 1993 and was appointed Senior Partner in 1997. Since the end of this appointment, in 2004, he has developed his own practice as an expert witness and mediator. Mr Swinson was formerly President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and Member of the Auditing Practices Committee. He is currently Auditor General of The States of Jersey, Senior Independent Director at The Pensions Regulator and Non Executive Director at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. He was Chairman of the Audit Committee at HM Treasury for 4 years, and a Commissioner of the Audit Commission.
Notes to Editors
1. The Museum was looking for skills and experience in one or more of the following areas: Business/Finance, Science and Media/Visual Arts
2. NMSI is the world’s pre-eminent museum group holding the national collections of science, technology, medicine, transport and media. It operates 3 of the top museums in the United Kingdom: the Science Museum in London, the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, and the National Railway Museum in York. A fourth museum, Locomotion was opened at Shildon, County Durham in October 2004. NMSI Wroughton, near Swindon, is the Museum’s major storage site and is being developed into a National Collections Centre.
3. The posts are not remunerated. Reasonable expenses can be claimed.
4. The appointments have been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. Appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. None of the candidates has undertaken any significant political activity during the past five years.
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